Sign having adjustable band



May 26, 1970 F. KLEINMAN SI'GN"HAVING ADJUSTABLE BAND Filed Feb. 16.1968 INVENTOR. 4M//|//1/4/1/ ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,513,577SIGN HAVING ADJUSTABLE BAND Paul Kleinman, Bedford, N.Y. 10516 FiledFeb. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 706,111 Int. Cl. G09f 11/29 U.S. Cl. 40-86 3Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sign comprising a housing having atransparent front Section of U-shape in dross section. A rear section issecured to said front section and has a central portion arranged inclose proximity to the front section dening a guideway. The rear sectionhas a pair of angle portions integral with the central portion deiiningin conjunction with the front section a pair of chambers. A pair ofplates are disposed on opposite ends of the housing. A pair of shaftsare rotatably mounted in the plates with the shafts extending throughthe chambers. A sign band of stressed self-winding material is securedat its ends to the shafts and has a portion in the guideway. Knob meansare provided for selectively rotating the shafts lfor bringing aselected portion of the band into the guideway for permittingobservation thereof through the transparent front section.

This invention relates to a sign for use in complying with therequirements for placarding of motor transports with dangerous cargo,and more particularly to an easily mounted, com-pact, durable,self-contained device which enables a truck operator to change themarkings on a vehicle equipped with this invention at will and withoutloss of time either at terminals or en route, while also providing for asubstantial number of different types of cargo.

An object of this invention resides in the provision of a sign whichwill enable the changing from one inscription to another in the matterof only a few seconds.

The construction of this invention features a corrosionresistant signhaving a housing of a transparent plastic material which is so arrangedthat the sign band movably mounted in the housing is itself resistant todirt and soil and is protected from dirt and weather.

Another object of the invention resides in a provision of a sign whicheliminates the necessity of gears, springs or ratchets which are subjectto malfunction and rattling due to vibration.

An additional object of the invention resides in the provision of a signwhich will provide substantial savings in both the drivers time and inthe total cost of material when compared with single use paper oradhesive back placards which may be easily misplaced and thereby subjectthe truck operator to inadvertent and unintended violations of variousrequirements and regulations.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of thisinvention, which will become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by this sign, a preferred embodiment of which isillustrated in the accompanying drawing, by way of example only,wherein:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a sign constructed in accordance withthe concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view lookingl in the direction of arrows2-2 in FIG. l;

lCC

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the plane ofline 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional detail view taken along theplane of line 4 4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective detail view showing the manner inwhich the shafts are journalled in the plates; and,

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the sign band.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein likereference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,reference numeral 10 generally designates a sign constructed inaccordance with the concepts of the present invention. The sign includesa housing 12 having a front section 14 of a molded transparent plasticmaterial of a substantially U-shape in cross section and vbeing providedwith a flat front sur-face 16, an upper portion 18 and a lower portion20. At the end of the upper portion 18 are flanges 22 and 24, andflanges 26 and 28 are formed at the lower portion 20.

The housing 12 also includes a rear section 30 having a central portion32 closely adjacent the llat front 16 and forming a guideway 34therebetween. The central portion terminates well below the top 18 andwell below the bottom 20 and angle portions 36 and 38 integral with thecentral portion 30 are provided. The uppermost end 40 of the angleportion 36 extends between the flanges 22 and 24 and is bonded theretopreferably in a fluidtight manner. Likewise, the bottommost end 42 ofthe angle portion 38 is received between the flanges 26 and 28 and isbonded to the front section 12 preferably in a fluidtight manner. Theangle section 36 forms, in conjunction with the front section 14, anupper chamber 44, and a lower chamber 46 is formed between the angle-portion 38 and the front section 14.

A pair of plates 48 and 50 are provided at the sides of the housing 12.Disposed between the plates 48 and 50 and the housing are a pair ofsubstantially U-shaped vibration damping members 51 formed of foamedplastic material or other suitable rubber-like or resilient material.The plates 48 and 50 are provided with flanges 52 and 54 and gaskets asmay be desired or found necessary may be introduced between the flanges52 and 54 and the housing 12.

Shafts 56 and 58 extend through the chambers 44 and 46 respectively, andas can be seen best in FIGS. 4 and 5 extend through the plates 48 and 50which are provided with suitable holes 59 therethrough. Rotatablymounting the shafts in each of the holes 59 provided in the plates 48and 50 are split ring thrust bearings 60 which have cylindrical bearingportions 62 and planar bearing portions 64. A rib 66 extends about theinner periphery of each bearing -60 and inwardly of the plates 48 and 50for reception of a wire type clip 68 for use in holding the split ringbearing in assembled position and for preventing disengagement of thebearing from within the hole 59 and about the shaft which it journals.

Pairs of knobs 70 on the opposite side of each of the shafts 56 and 58are used for the first purpose of rotating the shafts 56 and 58 as maybe desired. The knobs 70, further cap the end of the shafts 56 and 58and are held in place by pins 72 which extend through bores 74 in theshafts and 76 in the knob 70. The knobs 70 may have an outer surfaceknurled or ribbed for convenient grasping and rotation thereof. The pins72 hold the knobs tightly against the planar surface 64 of the thrustbearings which in turn cause the plates to be tightly held against thehous- 3 ing compressing the vibrating damping means 51 between theplates 48 and 50 and the housing 12. The plates have detents (not shown)of small size extending into the split of the bearings 60 for preventingrotation thereof. The clip 68 also serves the purpose of rendering thebearing self adjusting for various sized shafts.

A pair of slotted retainer tubes 78 and 80 are provided and hold theends of a band 82 of stressed self-winding plastic material such asmylar to the shafts 56 and 58. The band 82 has a selected portionintermediate at the ends disposed in the guideway 34 and Visible throughthe ltransparent front section 14. The mylar is pre-stressed so that itis self-winding in either `direction about the shafts 56 and 58 so thatrotation of either the upper shaft or lower shaft can select a certainportion of the band 82 for visual display through the transparent frontsection 14. These signs are especially adapted for use by trucks inaccordance with certain present Interstate Commerce Commissionrequirements, for example, may be provided with indicia in variousrequired color inscriptions including the words Poison, Corrosives,Flammable, Dangerous, Drive Safely, Flammable Gas, Compressed Gas,Oxidizers, Radioactive, Explosives A and Explosives B. Of course, thesign may be used for vehicles such as buses or the like to indicate`destination or routes and may be used for innumerable other purposes.Its compact design which includes a pair of `brackets '90 integrallyformed with the plates and having apertures 92 therethrough permits itsattachment by rivets, sheet metal screws, bolts or other suitablefasteners to the rear overhead doors of trucks or trailers, or on eachof the four sides of a truck, or on any other convenient location.

A latitude of modification, substitution and change is intended in theforegoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of theinvention will be employed without a corresponding use of otherfeatures. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims beconstrued broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scopeof the invention herein.

I claim:

1. A sign comprising a housing having a transparent front section ofU-shape in cross section, a rear section securing to said front sectionand having a central portion arranged in close proximity to said frontsection defining a guideway, said rear section having a pair of angleportions integral with said central portion and defining in conjunctionwith said front section a pair of chambers, a pair of plates at oppositeends of said housing, a pair of shafts rotatably mounted in said plates,said shafts extending through said chambers, a sign band securing at itsends to said shafts and having a portion in said guideway, knob meansfor selectively rotating said shafts for bringing a selected portion ofsaid band into said guideway for permitting observation thereof throughsaid transparent front section, thrust bearings journalling said shaftsin said plates, said knobs abutting said thrust bearings, means securingsaid knobs to said shafts so that said knobs in engagement with saidthrust bearings hold said plates to said housing, said thrust bearingsincluding split rings provided with cylindrical and planar bearingsurfaces, and wire clip means for holding said thrust bearings on saidplates.

2. A sign according to claim 1, including vibration damping means`disposed between said plates and said housing.

3. A sign according to claim 2, including bracket means for mounting thesign integrally formed with said plates.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,642,580 9/1927 Erb 40-86 X2,485,802 10/ 1949 Asachika 40-86 3,159,937 12/1964 Barnes 40-86 X3,316,668 5/1967 Rogers 40-86 X EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner W.H. GRIEB, Assistant Examiner

